[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 164 (Monday, October 23, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROCLAMATION HONORING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF KICKAPOO HIGH SCHOOL OF 
                            SPRINGFIELD, MO

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, today I would like to salute a high 
school from my hometown of Springfield, MO, that defines excellence in 
secondary education. Kickapoo High School has been recognized by the 
U.S. Department of Education as one of the excellent secondary schools 
in America. Opened in 1971, Kickapoo will celebrate its 25th 
anniversary on October 25 after a rich history of academic achievement. 
Over 8,000 Missourians have graduated from the halls of Kickapoo High 
School. These students have attended some of America's finest 
universities including: Yale, Northwestern, University of Chicago, 
Duke, and Washington University.
  Kickapoo High School continues to be a leader in educational 
diversity, serving as a model, not just for southwest Missouri, but for 
the Nation as a whole. The needs of physically and academically 
challenged students have been served by the opening of a learning 
resource center and by establishing an orthopaedically handicapped 
program. In an era when test scores are emphasized for college 
admissions, Kickapoo High School's students exceed the national average 
on the ACT by two points on each of the three sections. Students' 
educations are supplemented by advanced placement courses, where 80 
percent of Kickapoo students earned scores, qualifying them for college 
credits upon enrollment.
  A defining characteristic of a school is the honors bestowed upon it. 
Kickapoo High School had seven National Merit Scholar finalists and 
nine National Merit Commended Scholars in 1994 alone. For these 
achievements listed and many others not, I am pleased to honor Kickapoo 
High School on the 25th anniversary of its charter.
  The teachers, students, administrators, and community of Kickapoo 
High School should be commended for their achievements and service to 
our Nation. All of those who have been affiliated with Kickapoo High 
School are charged with a duty to leave America as a better place. 
Kickapoo serves as an emblematic secondary educational institution and 
prime example of academic excellence in the United States of America.

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